WHAT IS INQUIRY LEARNING in GENERAL?Inquiry learning is based on the constructivist idea of learning, where the teacher is the
'guide on the side' rather than the 'sage on the stage'. Children are encouraged to learn information about a concept or topic (immersion stage), and then, with guidance, to formulate rich questions to pursue related to the topic.
Inquiry learning means that the students discover knowledge through following their own questions. Learning is often in a co-operative, group-based situation. Progress is often assessed by how well students have developed critical, analytical and experimental skills, rather than knowledge of facts.
INQUIRY LEARNING and CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING
What's the difference? Not much. Very simply put, constructivism is the theoretical approach to a hands-on, student-driven curriculum; and I
nquiry Learning is the pedagogical application of that theory. "The Guide on the Side, not the Sage on the Stage" is a well-known adage for the teacher's role here.
HOW DO I USE INQUIRY LEARNING?
In some original Inquiry Learning models, the students selected the topic, the problem to be studied, and the methods used to answer the problem. However, it is important to remember that students need to be scaffolded in their learning; research has proved that students do NOT learn inquiry methods simply by inquiring or problem-solving. The teacher obviously needs to provide the 'umbrella' under which the students determine their individual course, and the teacher needs to build the steps for learning thinking skills and strategies - as demonstrated clearly in Renzulli's model above.
Most students will reach Type 2 activities, working on a teacher-guided inquiry situation;
some will progress on to Type 3, where they continue their study into an open-ended, real-life inquiry.
Research has shown that students learn best if the teacher first models problem situations.
Active problem-solving early in the process is not as effective as first allowing students to study worked examples, such as step-by-step demonstration of how to perform a task or how to solve a problem. So rather than plunging your students in the deep end and expecting them to learn problem-solving and inquiry-based learning
by osmosis, you need to start small, and teach students the specific skills and strategies necessary. Using a topic or concept that students are already familiar with,
avoids the necessity for students to simultaneously have to grapple with acquiring huge amounts of knowledge.
WHICH MODEL TO USE?
There are various inquiry models
. We strongly recommend models which start with teachers formulating the BIG UNDERSTANDING or the BIG IDEAS underpinning the unit. This also forms the vital ASSESSMENT part of the unit,
as students will need to demonstrate their understanding of the BIG IDEA(S) at the end of the unit.
An important part of the ILC method is the Thinking, Talking Exploring cards (TTE cards) which are provided with each book. These are used by students, in discussion groups of 2 or 3, to ASSESS PRIOR KNOWLEDGE, as well as to introduce the students to a community of inquiry. This is the all-important part where students start to formulate their own questions for inquiry!
We recommend also, models which have an underpinning KNOWLEDGE stage, or immersion stage, next. This is where students are exposed to
movies, books, visitors, websites etc where they learn information about the topic. ONLY THEN can students generate meaningful rich questions for the next step. As an illustration of this, imagine if you encourage the students to formulate questions as their FIRST step in the process (as some Inquiry models do). Let's try that one with you yourself right now: okay, "The topic we're looking at is stem-cell therapy. What are your deep questions??"...... Enough said...
We based the ILC model on Joseph Renzulli's
model, which is is used around the world: note too how the three stages interweave dynamically:
All students will first work through Stage 1, where they are immersed in a rich knowledge-gathering experience, and then move on to Stage 2, where they are scaffolded through learning skills as well as forming their own questions. Some students (often the gifted) will progress on to stage 3, where they will pursue independent inquiry into a real-
life problem or situation of their choosing. Note too, that Renzulli shows the three stages as interacting dynamically - that is, students can pass through the three stages at varying times.
Check out some ready-to-go units here at the Centre for Inquiry-Based Learning
 INQUIRY LEARNING THROUGH CONCEPTS resources
Already in use in New Zealand, the USA, Australia, and the UK.All the 'hard bits' ready for you to personalise for your class! Each book contains a CONCEPT, the BIG IDEAS plus a list of the Essential Questions for that concept; Recommended resources for starting "hooks" for students; other resources recommended where appropriate.Also includes assessment tools, and the acclaimed Thinking, Talking, Exploring cards to determine that precious prior knowledge!
Sample concepts addressed:
Communication (verbal vs non-verbal)
Endangered Species (Survival vs Extinction)
Cultural Identity (Icon vs symbol)
Poetry (Structured vs Prose)
Rights & Responsibilities
Disasters (natural vs created)
Myths and Legends (Retelling Traditional explanations vs Creating New; Adapting to our world
Shelter (necessity vs luxury)
Religion
CLICK HERE to view ILC RESOURCES AVAILABLE
Other Inquiry models:
Developed by educators Mike Eisenberg and Bob Berkowitz, the Big6 is one of the most widely-known and widely-used approach to teaching information and technology skills in the world.MORE INFO: http://www.big6.com/
Eisenberg and Berkowitz's (2004) "Big6" and "Super3"" ( a modified Big6 for juniors)
(http://www.fno.org/dec99/rcycle.html)
Gwen Gawith's Action Learning (1988)
- decide
- search & finding
- using & analysing
- recording
- presenting & communicating
- evaluating
Biggs' SOLO Taxonomy
(Structure of Observed Outcomes). SOLO describes 5 levels of increasing complexity in student understanding - not simply knowledge. Thus it incorporates ideas from UBD (Understanding By Design) and Bloom's Taxonomy, and the framweork is a really useful one, even though the language used for the differrent stages or levels may be a little precious:
- pre-structural
- unistructural
- multistructural
- relational
- extended abstract
James Atherton gives an excellent overview HERE, with illustrations to clearly explain the concept. Biggs' SOLO was used as one of the key ideas in ThinkShop's INQUIRY LEARNING through CONCEPTS (ILC) method.
Trevor Bond's (2001) �SAUCE' model
Do be aware that some of the models above may well not be suited to your school's individual needs; and some actually become unwieldy because of their rigidity or complexity. Do check them out thoughtfully, and adapt, adapt, adapt!
EXAMPLES of SCHOOLS WHICH ADAPT!
Schools are adapting Inquiry Learning models to suit their particular needs. Here are a few worth checking out:
Wanganui ICT PD Cluster (New Zealand)A whole set of tools on Inquiry Learning
Southbridge School Inquiry Learning model (New Zealand)
University of Alberta (Canada) inquiry learning model
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
- Use school PD time (e.g. a one-day minimum) for staff to RESEARCH various Inquiry Learning models (this can be done in small groups or in syndicates); then present findings to staff. Next step is for staff to analyse the models, to synthesise a model unique to their own school needs. Adapt, adapt, adapt! By the end of the day, staff can even have a unit fleshed out, using their own Inquiry Model. Fantastic!
- Have a look at the Renzulli Learning Programme. Online learning based on inquiry learning, as well as differentiated learning. Highly recommended!
- Contact THINKSHOP for info on a workshop with Jean Edwards on Inquiry Learning (ILC), HOM, and Questioning.
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